Three tanners die from gas poisoning
Three workers died from inhaling toxic gas and several others fell ill at a tannery in the city's Hazaribagh area yesterday morning.
Carbon monoxide, a gas lethal to humans and animals, was the cause of death. It was produced by chemicals mixed in a wrong drum, said officials of the factory, Apex Tannery Ltd.
The three were identified as Shah Alam, 45, Dulal Mia, 45, and Mohammad Solaiman, 55.
The first two died on the spot as they opened the large wooden drum at around 7:00am.
Solaiman, who went to the rescue of his coworkers, died at Sikder Hospital.
Of those taken ill, nine were admitted to hospitals and clinics in the city.
Syed Manzur Elahi, chairman of Apex Tannery, told The Daily Star that it was an accident and it was first of its kind in the company's 36 years.
"Of the deceased, one had 29 years' experience in leather-making and the rest two had nine years' each," he added.
Shakil Ahmed, a worker of the tannery, told The Daily Star, "As soon as drum man Shah Alam and assistant drum man Dulal opened the liming drum, they fell to the ground.
"When Solaiman and I went to see what happened, we too passed out. After a few minutes, I regained my senses,” he continued.
Shah Alam and Dulal opened the drum to check the condition of the hides kept there on Thursday night.
"The moment we found the tanning drum empty, we knew where things went wrong,” he added.
Mohammad Ali, manager (engineering) of the factory, said rawhides are cleaned with lime in the liming drum and after that, they are soaked in chromium sulphate in the tanning drum.
Administrative Officer Golam Sarwar told The Daily Star, "The liming drum was filled with carbon monoxide when chromium sulphate was poured in it by mistake."
Enamul Huq, officer-in-charge of Hazaribagh Police Station, said the factory authorities have filed an unnatural death case in this connection.
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